By Eva Potter
Spring’s bulbs have already poked their curious foreheads through the wintry frost, lawns are hinting of the emerald green grass to come and Canada geese are flocking back to the area. That can only mean one thing—it’s time to start thinking about all those home and garden projects you’ve been putting off. Don’t worry—help is is on the way. From April 9-11, 2010, the 39th Annual Greater Olean Home and Garden Show will take place in the William O. Smith Recreation Center, where home improvement experts will be happy to assist you with all your challenging building projects.
Hosted by the Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce (GOACC) and co-sponsored by 38 corporate supporters, this year’s eco-friendly Home Show theme is “Go Green, Save Green.” Meme Yanetsko, CEO of GOACC, said, “Each year, the committee chooses a theme for the vendors to create their booths from. We all are trying to save money these days, so we thought we’d go with that.” The custom designed logo for this year’s show was created by Nicole Cook of the Olean Area Federal Credit Union.
Many sponsors of the Home Show have already embraced doing business in an environmentally-conscious way. Mike Higgins, president of Abbott Welding Supply Co., a past and present show sponsor, said his company tries to operate as green as possible by monitoring how many miles their trucks drive, minimizing utility usage and recycling whenever possible. “Abbott is locally owned and operated, and we focus on working with local businesses and in supporting local community events like the Home Show to help make the Olean/Allegany area the great place it is to live,” said Mr. Higgins.
“I think Western New York residents really love spring. After a long, cold, dark winter, residents are looking for opportunities to get out and enjoy the sunlight. So, the Home Show is a great place to roam around and ponder new projects, to update their homes, and maybe even become greener,” said longtime show sponsor Paula Derwick, directing manager of operations at Fox Financial. “I think the ‘Go Green, Save Green’ theme is appropriate. In situations where you can save money, as well as be green, it’s a win-win. Our biggest green program is having a company come on site to shred our paper and then recycle.”
Kyle Duggan, vice president of Duggan & Duggan General Contractors, said his company believes in supporting the Home Show and the local community. The idea of building green is not new to Duggan & Duggan, which has built some eco-friendly buildings for St. Bonaventure University. Even though building under green guidelines increases the cost of construction, Mr. Duggan thinks the green idea is a good one. He said, “The home show is nice for the homeowners who are looking for ideas for their homes and whatever other projects they may be considering.”
So, if you’re thinking about remodeling, reorganizing, improving, building or renovating, a stop at this year’s Home Show is a must. With 80+ vendors conveniently located under one roof, you can make efficient use of your time by visiting and consulting with business representatives from companies specializing in kitchen cabinets, home décor, pools and spas, landscaping, water quality, gardening tools, real estate, windows, siding, home construction, insurance, banking, furniture, technology, and more.
New this year, Time Warner Media is bringing in Scooby Doo of the Cartoon Network to entertain the younger crowd. Cabot Cheese of Vermont will once again hold cheese tastings at various times throughout the weekend. And don’t forget to visit the Cattaraugus County Health Department’s booth on Saturday to vote for the best tasting water in the county. Food concessions, featuring chili, hot dogs, Philly cheesesteak, pasta salad, nachos, and more, will be operated by Randy’s Up The River. Home Show visitors will be eligible to win one of the many door prizes awarded by the Times Herald/Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with the Home Depot Home Show Give-Away. A few lucky winners will take home a GE washer and dryer, extensive lawn care package, Brinkman Dual Function Gas/Charcoal Grill and Smoker, or a pallet of pavers for landscaping. Additional environmentally-responsible home improvement prizes will also be awarded.
This year’s corporate sponsors include: Abbott Welding Co., Advanced Monolythic Ceramics, Armor Building Supply, Beef n’ Barrel Restaurant, Buffamante Whipple Buttafaro, P.C., Cattaraugus Allegany BOCES, Cattaraugus Empire Zone, Community Bank, Cooper Power Systems, CUTCO Corporation, Dr. Green Lawn/Custom Turf, Dresser-Rand, Duggan and Duggan General Contractors, Five Star Bank, Fox Financial, Henkel Loctite, HomeCare & Hospice, Independent Health, Jamestown Community College, Key Bank, Kinley Corporation, Marcella Smith – State Farm Insurance, MJW Technical Services, Inc., National Grid Co., Olean Advanced Products, Olean Area Federal Credit Union, Olean General Hospital, Olean Medical Group, Olean Times Herald, Owl Homes, Park Centre Development, Protocol 80, Inc., The ReHabilitation Center, St. Bonaventure University, Trans Am Ambulance, and Vic Vena Pharmacy and Allen’s Liquor Store.
More show details, including a vendor location map, see next week’s Home Show article. The William O. Smith Recreation Center is located at 551 East State Street (across from Bradner’s Stadium) in Olean with free on-site parking. Times: April 9, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; April 10, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and April 11, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost: $3 adults, $2 students/seniors, children 5 and under free with an adult. For more information, please call GOACC at (716) 372-4433.
